The present invention relates generally to seating apparatus and more particularly to a novel saddle assembly for horse-back riding or the like.
Conventional horse saddles, such as English saddles, include a frame or tree mounting a seat upon which the rider sits and, on each of the left and right sides of the seat, a panel, an under or sweat flap, and a long flap affixed to the tree. Traditional construction has included natural leather or synthetic materials, the flaps and panels being stitched or otherwise permanently bound to the tree. This simple, reliable arrangement has undergone few modifications for hundreds of years.
With the advent of modem transportation, the use of horses and other pack animals has changed from transportation to general sports and recreation. This trend has, in turn, defined new problems and needs to be fulfilled by saddles. A principal issue for competitive riders, for instance, has been the difficulty in transportation of saddles to and from horse shows. Their sheer size, bulk, and rigidity has made their transportation, particularly air travel, costly and cumbersome.